250 SYLVA FLORIFEUA. 



particularly by those who have dwellings near 

 the shore, as the ocean is seen with ad- 

 ditional advantage, when viewed over these 

 yellow-clad shrubs. 



The furze is generally considered to be the 

 XKofjTnog (scorpius) of Theophrastus, and the 

 Ulex of Pliny, which was a shrub, the ashes of 

 which were used as a lie for separating gold 

 from the substances with which it was mixed. 

 In later times it was evidently thought to be 

 a species of broom, as Dodonseus, Bauhinus, 

 Tragus, Lobel, and other writers style it 

 Genista spinosa (thorny broom). 



Gerard says, " There be diuers sorts of 

 prickley broome, called in our English toong 

 by sundry names, according to the speech of 

 the countrey people where they do growe; 

 in some places Furzes, in others Whinnes and 

 Gorsse, and of some Prickley Broome." This 

 author adds, " We haue in our barren grounds 

 of the north parts of England another sort of 

 furze, bringing foorth the like prickly thornes 

 that the others haue ; the onely difference 

 consisting in the colour of the flowers ; for 

 the others bring foorth yellowe flowers, and 

 those of this plant are as white as snowe." 

 He calls this plant Genista spinosa flore albo. 



Parkinson says, in 1640, "In the north 

 parts of this land I heare that in divers places, 

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